Tagged: Australia

Actors Want Odd Parts

  • News
  • September 2, 2008

russell-crowe-picture-4-3310925Competing Sherlock Holmes movies will be racing to see who can get before the cameras faster.  Guy Ritchie (Rocknrolla)’s version already has Robert Downey, Jr. on board as Holmes but now Russell Crowe says he wants to play Watson. He was quoted in Australia’s Daily Herald as indicating this desire although an anonymous source was cited. 

Crowe is looking for a project now that his Robin Hood film with Ridley Scott is on hold for at least a year.

Meantime, also in Australia, Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia was quoted by Showbiz Spy indicating his desire to play a decided adult Boy Wonder. "I always thought I would make a great Robin. I would love to be Christian Bale’s sidekick in Batman," he told the reporter. "Even when I was younger I never wanted to be Batman." Of course, director Christopher Nolan has already said for years now that his film version of the Caped Crusader will never feature a Wonder – boy, teen or adult.

This, on the heels of the absurd notion of Cher as Catwoman, means we have years of casting rumors to endure before Nolan mounts the third film in the franchise.
 

K9 To Receive New Look and ‘Doctor Who’ Spin-Off Series

  • News
  • June 23, 2008

k9-4214962Confirming rumors regarding the new spin-off series for K9, the much-loved robotic dog from Doctor Who, recent reports indicate that filming for the series will begin next month in Australia.

Bob Baker, who originally co-created K9, will write for the 26-part series, which will combine live action with computer-generated imaging for the half-hour episodes. There is no scheduled date for the series to begin airing.

Images of K9’s new look were also released, showcasing the redesign Baker gave the popular character.

For more details, visit GallifreyOne.

 

‘Justice League’ Film Delayed Again

  • News
  • April 9, 2008

ComicMix previously reported that the Justice League film currently in production was having a few problems with tax breaks in Australia. Alas, the combined might of superheroes is no match for the tax system and the production of the film will have to move elsewhere.

Previously, Canada was cited as the likely destination of the film. However, now New Zealand is being floated as a possible candidate. Not only is it closer to Australia than Canada is, but special effects studio Weta Workshop is located there. Weta is responsible for designing the costumes for the film.

The film already has actors cast and a script ready, but the the inability to find a suitable location for filming could prevent Justice League from ever taking off. If the SAG ends up striking, it could be the final nail in the coffin for this troubled production.

 (via Comic Book Movie)

Martian Manhunter Cast in ‘Justice League’ Film

  • News
  • February 26, 2008

If Warner Bros. decides to move Justice League out of Australia, a few friends from down under will be tagging along for the ride.

Director George Miller has cast Hugh Keays-Byrne in the role of the Martian Manhunter. Byrne is known primarily for his work in Australian film and television.

Miller first worked with Byrne a scant 29 years ago on the original Mad Max , which was released in 1979.

Byrne played Toecutter, the main villain of the film responsible for murdering Max’s family and turning him into the post-apocalyptic vigilante we all know and love. Now he’s playing a Martian superhero. The two characters actually share a common bond – a fear of exploding cars and fires – making it easy for Byrne to step into J’onn J’onzz’s green skin and blue underwear.

(via Moviehole)

‘Justice League’ Movie Heads To Canada

  • News
  • February 25, 2008

Warner Bros.’ Justice League movie seems to be facing far deadlier villains than the Legion of Doom before it even gets off the ground. A rushed script and casting issues supposedly put the film’s status in jeopardy, but a dispute over filming incentives in Australia may damage things further.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that production on the film may be moving to Canada due to a dispute with the Australian Federal Government. The country’s new film incentive program gives a 40-percent rebate to Australian producers, but there is debate as to whether or not it should apply to movies with budgets exceeding $30 million dollars.

Director George Miller wants to keep the production based at Fox Studios in Australia in order to work with the same team responsible for the Oscar-winning Happy Feet.

"One of the reasons for doing Justice League in this country is the opportunity to bring back all the people we lost on Happy Feet who went overseas," Miller said. "We spent four years developing this talent and the cream of them left because they didn’t have another film to go on to …

"The idea is to say come back, start off on Justice League then move onto Happy Feet 2."

Miller described the film’s current state as "precarious" and said that Warner Bros. is looking overseas for filming locations, with Canada being the likeliest destination.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine production is starting in Australia while the Justice League are leaving it and heading for Wolverine’s home country. Don’t superheroes have any national pride anymore?

 

‘Doctor Who’ Dalek For Sale

  • News
  • January 31, 2008

Inmates at the Woodford Correctional Centre in Queensland, Australia, recently put the finishing touches on a full-size Dalek replica complete with wheels, voice changer and space for a ride-in occupant.

The "Doctor Who" villain took six months to build, and the finished product is currently being auctioned on eBay. Proceeds from the sale will go to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.

Bidding starts at $3,000 and the auction ends on Feb. 8.

A reporter who recently took the Dalek out for a spin had the following to say about her experience:

You climb underneath, and in the back of the Dalek there’s a seat. You lift the seat up. I’m inside the Dalek. And then you look up and it’s got this voice-altering mechanism.

Ex-ter-min-ate! Ex-ter-min-ate!

If you’re tempted to place a bid, keep in mind that you’ll have to travel to Brisbane to pick up your prize. Imagine all the fun you’ll have getting it through airport security, though!

 

James Purefoy returns as The Saint

  • News
  • December 28, 2007

A new generation is about to meet the famous Simon Templar. James Purefoy, best known for playing Mark Antony in Rome and getting let go from palying V in V For Vendetta, is set to play Simon Templar in the forthcoming TV series of The Saint.

No fewer than 10 actors have portrayed the character, including the legendary George Sanders and former Maverick / future James Bond Roger Moore. Another nine actors played him on radio, including Vincent Price.

William J. Macdonald (Witchblade, Rome) is prepping a two-hour pilot for a European shoot. Shooting in Berlin and Australia begins in April.

Burl Barer, Edgar Award winning author of The Saint: A Complete History, is also on board.  Barer, authorized by the Estate of Leslie Charteris to write new Saint novels and short stories, will novelize the movie length pilot and future episodes for a new generation of Saint fans.

Martha Jones to chase Captain Jack?

  • News
  • June 29, 2007

agyemf0-1506390Over at Doctor Who, Martha Jones, the tenth Doctor’s second companion, is getting tired of unrequited love. Next season, she’s starting to look at everybody’s favorite object of lust, Torchwood‘s Captain Jack Harkness.

It seems Captain Jack has been working his sexual magic on the latest companion. According to the London Daily Mirror, when the 30th season of Doctor Who goes up next year, Martha will not be in all episodes – but will pick up the slack by appearing in a number of episodes of Torchwood. A new companion will join the cast of the former series, and Martha will not be in this year’s Christmas special. However, singer Kylie Minogue will co-star in the latter event.

The 29th season of Doctor Who ends in Britain tomorrow with the last of the three-part battle with The Master (John Simm, star of Life On Mars). This season is already being broadcast in many parts of the world, including Australia and Canada; it goes up in the United States on the SciFi Network a week from today.

 

Warner Bros. donates $$$ to Tasmanian Devil

tazwb200-9745728According to the Associated Press, the Australian government says Warner Bros. will donate money to save the Tasmanian Devil from extinction.

The real animals — which don’t actually whir around in little tornados — are being wiped out by a contagious cancer that creates "grotesque facial tumors."  Since Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease (warning: photos at link) was first detected in northeast Tasmania in the mid-1990s, more than 90 percent of the devils have perished.  Scientiests estimate that within five years, there will be no disease-free population in Tasmania.  It is hoped that the uninfected animals can be moved to island sanctuaries. 

Paula Wriedt, who is Minister of State Tourism, Arts and Environment (talk about job-sharing!) said Warner Bros. will donate $1 Australian (about $0.82 American) from the sale of each DVD in a new series to be relasaed in Australia.  The University of Tasmania will handle the donations.

"This partnership will go a long way to assist in raising funds, awareness and future opportunities to ensure the survival of the Tasmanian Devil," she said.

The AP says that a spokesman for Warner Bros. did not immediately return calls for comment on Saturday. It’s a holiday weekend, people!

Artwork copyright Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

(more…)

New Tolkien next month

  • News
  • March 27, 2007

The BBC reports (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6494985.stm) that Christopher Tolkien finished his father’s last book, Children of Hurin, and it will be published in England, the United States, Australia and New Zealand this April 17.  The younger Tolkien spent 30 years on the book, which JRR Tolkien started in 1918.  Alan Lee is the illustrator.

There are no plans at this time for a film.

Yet.

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